Harness.



rims-2,696. PATENTED 0615.9, 1906.

H CRAWFORD.

HARNESS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. g. 1905.

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No.8 32,596. PATENTED OCT. 9, 1906. H. H. CRAWFORD.

H A RN ESS.

APPLICATION FILED BBPT.2,1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARNESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 9, 1906.

Application filed September 2, 1905. Serial No. 276,855.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HEZEKIAH H. CRAW- FORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at El Paso, in the county of El Paso and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Harness, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to harness.

The object of the invention is in a novel manner to reduce the number of parts of a harness to a minimum by dispensing, if desired, with a breeching-strap, ordinary holdback-straps, and traces, and in lieu thereof to provide a novel form of breast-collar which shall perform the function of these three parts common to nearly all harnesses.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a harness, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the trunk portion of a horse, showing the harness of the present invention applied thereto Fig. 2 is a view in perspective exhibiting one manner in which the shafts are combined with the holdback-straps. Fig. 3 is a similar view exhibiting another manner in which the shafts are combined with the holdbackstraps. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4 4, Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrow thereon. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the holdbackclamp. Fig. 6 is a view in plan of a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the breast-collar of the improved harness, which is comparatively wide and is ofsufficient len th to extend around the breast of the anima and backward beyond the saddle 2, which latter may be made of the usual or any preferred construction. As the arrangement of parts of the harness are the same on both sides, a description of one will serve for both. Secured to the breast-collar by a suitable keeper 3 is a buckle 4, which is engaged by one end of the holdback-stra 5, the other end of which is folded upon itse f and secured to the breast-collar, as by rivets 6, to form a guide 7, in which loosely fits the saddle-strap 8, the lower end of which has connected with it the .usual belly-band 9. To effect adjust ment of the guide 7 relatively to the saddle- I strap, there is a billet 10 provided, one end of which is secured in any suitable manner at 11 to the saddle-strap and saddle, and the other end of which engages a buckle 12, car

ject, the outer end of the latter being held against movement and properly combined with the breast-collar by a loop 16, having its terminals securedbetween the plies of the keeper 3, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Instead of having the thill project through the orifices 14, as shown in Fig. 2-, it may be disposed exteriorly of the holdback-strap throughout its entire length, as shown in Fig. 3.

To secure the holdback-strap to the thill, there is a clamp provided whichcomprises an open ring or band 17, that is furnished-with a pair of alined orificed ears 18,through which projects a bolt 19, having a square shank 20 to engage a similarly-shaped orifice in one of the ears and that terminates in a head 21, that bears against the outer side of the said ear. The bolt is engaged by the threaded head 22 of a lever 23, that bears against the other car and has intermediate of its ends a boss 24, that engages a depression 25 in the other side of the ring,'and thus positively holds the lever in its adjusted position; This ring is of such size as to permit the thill freely to enter together with the holdbackstrap, and it will be seen that when the lever is turned in the appropriate direction the ring will be firmly clamped around the thill, and thus bind the holdback-strap against movement relatively thereto. By the arrangement shown pressure against a horse when holding back is on the belly-band and the rear of its shoulders, so that any downward pressure upon the saddle is obviated, thereby removing an objectionable feature common to most harnesses. In fact, the holdback-strap has a tendency to raise the saddle, or rather transfer the weight from the animals back to the rear of its shoulders and against the belly-band.

By dispensing with the breeching, ordinary holdback-straps, and traces the harness is rendered much lighter, and thus cooler in hot weather, so that the horse will be more comfortable and better adapted for doing work n oppressive weather than it would otherwise be capable of doing with the ordinary harness.

For heavy work the breast-collar 1 may be continued clear around the horse to form a breeching or backing-strap, as shown in Fig. 6, and when this is done the breeching-strap will be held up or combined with the shafts by a clamp or locking device similar to that shown in Fig. 5.

In some instances it may be desired to use the improvements in connection with a hames or breast-collar, and this may be effected by leaving off the front portion of the breast-collar and supporting the holdbackstraps 5 fromv the hames or breast-collar in any preferred manner.

' Having thus described the invention, what i is claimed is 1, In a harness, a breast-collar, holdbackstraps connected therewith at their forward clamp them to the thills.

3. In a harness, a breast-collar, holdbackstraps having their forward ends secured thereto and their rear ends folded upon themselves to form guides that are rigidly secured to the breast-collar, the intermediate portions of the holdback-straps being provided with thill-receiving orifices, and means for clamping the holdback-strapsto the thills.

4. In a harness, a breast-collar, holdbackstraps having their forward end connected therewith, their intermediate portions provided with thill-reoeiving orifices, and their rear portions folded upon themselves to form guides that are rigidly secured to the breast collar, and saddle-straps engaging the u1 es.

g 5. In a harness, a breast-collar, holdbackstraps adjustably connected with their forward ends thereto and having their rear ends formed into guides and permanently secured to the breast-collar, saddle-straps engaging the guides, and billets carried by the saddle-straps to adjust the holclbackstraps upon the thills.

6. In a harness, a breast-collar continued to form a breeching, holdback-straps connected therewith at their forward ends and having their rear ends folded upon themselves to form guides that are permanently secured to the breast-collar, saddle-straps engaging the guides and means for clamping the holdback-straps to the thills.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HEZEKIAH H. CRAWFORD.v

Witnesses:

J. HISE MYERS, JosEPH R. MONTFORT. 

